For setting a tone color in an electronic musical instrument of the type with a small number of tone colors, there are provided tone color switches for all the tone colors on a panel so that the tone color setting can be performed with one switch operation.
In the type with a large number of tone colors, it is not possible to provide tone color switches for all the tone colors on a panel, so that the same tone color selection procedure should be carried out for selecting either the most frequently used tone color of piano or a tone color which is used with a relatively low frequency. For example, operations are necessary such that a switch for entering a tone color selection mode is depressed, a number corresponding to the tone color is inputted using a ten key, an increment dial or the like, and then a switch for inputting a determination command is depressed. In another example, operations are necessary such that a switch for entering a tone color selection mode is depressed, a rotary operation member is operated to scroll a tone color display on a screen, and then a switch for inputting a determination command is depressed when a required color tone is displayed.
FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing the foregoing procedure which is executed upon interrupt during an arbitrary process mode. During an arbitrary process mode (step S301), an interrupt is executed (step S302) so that it is checked whether a tone color selection mode has been entered by turning on a tone color selection mode switch (step S303). If it is judged that the tone color selection mode has not been entered (step S303; No), the processing returns to the foregoing step S301. On the other hand, if it is judged that the tone color selection mode has been entered (step S303; Yes), a number corresponding to a target tone color is inputted using a ten key or an increment dial (or a tone color display on a screen is scrolled by operating a rotary operation member to display a required tone color), so that a tone color selection is performed (step S304). Then, it is checked whether a switch for inputting a tone color determination command is depressed (step S305). If the determining switch is depressed (step S305; Yes), the tone color setting is executed (step S306). On the other hand, if the determining switch is not depressed (step S305; No), the processing returns to the foregoing step S305.
It is difficult to execute the foregoing tone color setting during processing of each of various modes. For example, if a sound output is hastily required while setting functions under a plurality of hierarchies of a various-function setting mode, a tone color should be selected after operating cancel switches or the like corresponding to those hierarchies to stop the function setting and restoring an initial state (a normal mode before the function setting). On the other hand, in a musical instrument, such as an electronic organ, which can have a large panel area to provide a relatively large number of tone color switches, a piano setting switch is available on the panel so that a piano tone color can be set quickly. However, in case of stopping an automatic accompaniment function and setting only the piano tone color during an automatic accompaniment process mode, operations are necessary such that a switch for the automatic accompaniment function is turned off and then the piano tone color is selected.
The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing problems of the prior art and provides a tone color setting device which can compulsorily set a tone color of an electronic musical instrument to a given one according to a command from a user even during each of various process modes.